The No. 17 West Virginia Mountaineers (3-2-2) women’s soccer team hosted the Clemson Tigers (4-1-2) at home on Thursday night, falling 1-0. This is the fourth time this season West Virginia has failed to score in a match.
West Virginia came out attacking, with midfielder Chloe Adler getting a shot on target only 38 seconds into the match, but it was saved by Clemson goalie Halle Mackiewicz.
After the early chance, Clemson controlled the game for the next 10 minutes, able to keep the ball in West Virginia’s half, although they were unable to get any shots. That was until some sloppy backline play led to an own goal that just got over the outstretched hand of Kayza Massey. This was the first goal West Virginia conceded in over two matches.
Clemson continued to pressure the Mountaineers and keep them in their own half, resulting in a corner 14 minutes into the match that led to an open chance for Samantha Mereditch, but luckily for West Virginia it went right to Massey.
West Virginia was able to get some pressure of their own after this, keeping the ball in Clemson’s half and getting some shots on target. None would find the back of the net, though as Clemson did just enough to keep their 1-0 lead.
From there it would be a tightly contested finish to the half, with both teams struggling to find scoring chances. Clemson would find one huge opportunity, when Maliah Morris cut through the Mountaineer defense with five minutes left in the half, but Massey again was able to stop the chance.
At halftime, Clemson was able to hold their 1-0 advantage, and both teams finished with three shots on goal. The possession at the half was also even, with West Virginia holding 51% at half.
Then it would be Clemson’s time to attack quickly to start the half, when 36 seconds into the second half Sydney Minarik forced a save by Massey to keep the score at 1-0. West Virginia continued to struggle to break down the Clemson defense as they were content to sit back to try to protect their lead. The Mountaineers first big chance of the second half came when Dilary Heredia-Beltran beat her matchup and sent the ball to the back post where no Mountaineer could get there in time to get a quality shot.
In the 66th minute the Mountaineers were once again looking for a way through Clemson’s defense in the box when a foul in the box gave them a penalty shot. Jordan Brewster blasted the shot in the lower left corner but Clemson goalie Halle Mackiewicz was able to deflect it off the post and collect it.
The rest of the second half continued the same way, Clemson content with defending and taking their counter attack opportunities and West Virginia struggling to break down the Tigers defense. No more real scoring chances would be created by the Mountaineers after the penalty, with a lot of crossing that was harmlessly cleared by the Clemson defense.
“I thought we did enough to win this game, if not come away with a draw, but unfortunately this game is brutal, but we gotta turn it back up and get ready for Sunday,” head coach Nikki Izzo-Brown said after the match.
West Virginia finished with 10 shots, but only 4 on target and 56% of the possession. Clemson only managed 5 shots in the match, with 4 on target, but were able to put one past Massey for the win.
Photo By: Wesley Shoemaker, Blue Gold Sports
